Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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74. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has any concerns with regards to trading with China due to its political stance on the Ukraine-Russia war; the measures Ireland is taking currently in order to safeguard Ireland's position on the war when negotiating with China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22030/23]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Trade policy plays an important role in promoting and protecting Ireland’s values and standards. Ireland’s Trade and Investment Strategy 2022 – 2026 “Value for Ireland, Values for the World”, sets out our approach to trade policy based on our values and principles as a free and democratic country. The overarching goal of our trade and investment strategy is to see Ireland grow sustainably, diversify our export markets and provide for continued prosperity and higher living standards. The strategy contains a number of priority actions, all of which are underpinned by Ireland’s commitment to multilateralism and a rules based global trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core.

Ireland has been unequivocal and steadfast in our support for Ukraine. As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China has a clear responsibility to defend and promote the Charter of the United Nations and the rules based international order, including in relation to the use of force and territorial integrity. Ireland has been clear with all countries, including China, that any settlement of the conflict in Ukraine must be acceptable to Ukraine and include the full withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.

In relation to trade policy specifically, the EU Commission retains exclusive competence when negotiating trade agreements with third countries. On that basis, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been clear that China’s position on the war in Ukraine will be an important factor going forward in EU-China relations.

Ireland will continue to advocate on behalf of Ukraine without reservation and we will continue to ensure that our trade policy objectives, while important, are not pursued at any cost. The protection of life and the right to live peacefully will remain a cornerstone of our principles as a nation, and those principles will continue to feed into our trade relations with others.